The neXt gallery on East Main Street is pleased to announce the local and regional student Visual Artists whose artwork will be exhibited and sold in the pop-up gallery located at BMO/Harris Bank (next to Smitty’s), 11 E. Main Street, St. Charles, IL. The gallery will be open from Friday, February 14 through Sunday, March 9.

The neXt gallery program is an initiative of the St Charles Arts Council, designed to create energy, excitement and opportunities for artists to showcase their work and to be compensated for their talent.

Join us for the Opening Reception of the neXt gallery on East Main Street, on Friday, February 14 from 6 to 9 p.m. Additional neXt gallery information, featured artists & images can be found at neXtgalleryStCharles.org.

To support the arts in St. Charles, the SCAC encourages building owners, volunteers, art supporters and art collectors to get involved in this program. The Arts Council also encourages visual artists to contact the council to learn about neXt gallery opportunities. Contact the St Charles Arts Council at 630.443.3794 or info@stcharlesartscouncil.org for more information.

The neXt gallery on East Main is pleased to announce the participating student artists:

The neXt gallery on East Main will open concurrently with the Charlie’s Center for the Arts – Student Artists event, occurring Friday, February 14 through Sunday, February 16, 2014.

Charlie’s Center for the Arts – Student Artists event will encompass venues all over the city and will feature visual art galleries/studios, music, spoken word performances, dance, and more – all of which feature K – 12 and college student artists. Charlie’s also features the programming of our Arts Partners, such as All Things Art Studio and Water Street Studios/PrintLab, and our Civic Partners, Community Unit School District D303 and the St. Charles Park District.

More information about the Charlie’s Center for the Arts – Student Artists event can also be found on the SCAC Events page www.stcharlesartscouncil.org

Charlie’s Center for the Arts – Student Artists event is presented by the St Charles Arts Council and their Civic Partners, the Greater St. Charles Education Foundation, and CUSD303. The event is sponsored by the Cultural Commission of the City of St. Charles and the St. Charles Rotary Club. Audition, performance and gallery spaces are provided by Baker Community Center (St. Charles Park District), BMO/Harris Bank and Fox Valley Repertory.

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The St. Charles Arts Council is a registered not-for-profit Illinois corporation whose mission is to create an organization that serves and promotes the arts and cultural activities in St. Charles, to the mutual benefit of the arts and the community. The SCAC is staffed entirely by volunteers.

About the St. Charles Arts Council:The SCAC will serve all those individuals (professionals, amateurs, and students) who produce tangible, consumable works of the imagination and all organizations, businesses, and groups that include and represent those people. This would be arts and cultural activities in their broadest sense, including graphic, plastic, and decorative arts, architecture, crafts, literature and poetry, music, theater, and dance. The primary long-range goal is the transformation of St. Charles into an arts community/an arts magnet/a nationally-known arts market. Ultimately we foresee a municipal arts center, more working artists and opportunities in arts education, many privately-owned galleries, performance venues, and related arts businesses, and a downtown architecture and streetscape conducive to both the aesthetics and business of art. Contact the SCAC for information at 630.443.3794 or at info@stcharlesartscouncil.org.

About Community Unit School District 303:Community Unit School District 303 is a high-achieving, pre-K-12 system covering 57.4 square miles in the picturesque Fox River Valley, 40 miles west of Chicago. District 303 serves about 13,800 students (August, 2009) from the City of St. Charles and portions of West Chicago, South Elgin, Wayne, Campton Hills, Wasco, Elburn and unincorporated Kane County. In July 2011, Family Circle Magazine named St. Charles the Best Town for Families in the United States. Among the reasons why the City of St. Charles was given this honor is the involvement of District 303 in the community and the fact that District 303 works closely with the City of St. Charles, the St. Charles Park District, the St. Charles Public Library and other civic organizations to benefit the residents of the community. The district operates 12 elementary schools, three middle schools, and two high schools.

About the St. Charles Park District:The St. Charles Park District is a special purpose government unit. It is the mission to enrich the quality of life of Park District residents through excellence in programs, parks, facilities, and services. This is the mission of the Park District as expressed by the Park Board. The mission represents the fundamental statement of purpose and is the point of reference for all decision making.

About the City of St. Charles:St. Charles, Illinois, located in both DuPage and Kane County, is 35 miles west of downtown Chicago. Over 2,100 businesses employ over 34,200 people, consisting of a balanced mix of retailers, restaurants, and manufacturing facilities. The City of St. Charles was recently named one of the “150 Great Places in Illinois” for the combined architectural work of the City Municipal Center, the Main Street Bridge, and the historic Hotel Baker.

The City’s recently completed 2014 Strategic Plan includes the following Action Plan: Market and promote St. Charles as a friendly, appealing destination, characterized by activities, events, arts, and culture. Capitalize on artistic and cultural resources by supporting local talent and lively venues and activities. Encourage collective civic endeavors to broaden the variety of attractions and events.